Automobile locking device



Jan.

J chrHoMAs El AL AUTOMOBILE LOCKING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April17, 1925 anon WM J (710mm J'lzamaa; U/zarlea a 9min,

- Jan. 26 1925 J C. THOMAS ET AL AUTOMOBILE LOCKING DEVICE Filed April17, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I a u o 7 I I a I a I M a Wm H 5 I 1 i I Illlt 7lll Jan. 26 1926. v 1,570,797

A J c. THOMAS ET Al.

' AUTOMOBILE LOCKING mwicz Filed April 17, 1923 s Sheets-Sheet a J(lam/2m 7710mm,

Patented Jan. 26, 1926 PATENT onion.

J oLARnnonTHoMAs Ami CHARLES": 0'. sum, or noirsroif, TEXAS.

AUuioMoBEtL-E Looxmsnnvron.

Application filed-April 17,1923. swarm; 6312729,

'1 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, J CLARENCE THOMAS andCHARLES ,C. STAITI, citizens of the United States; residing at Houston,in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Automobile Locking Devices, of whichthe'following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in locking devices forautomobiles and more particularly to a locking device which will cut oilthe supply of gasoline to the motor and break the circuits controllingthe ignition and lighting systems.

lVhen cars are stolen or operated by unauthorized persons it is due tothe fact that it is possible to short the ignition circuit even thoughthe usual switch lock is in the locked position or to the fact that thecar owner has left his switch unlocked. l/Vith our device the car owneris forced to use the safeguard which is afforded. He cannot use the carunless it is in the unlocked position and he must turn the key in thelock and avail himself of the tripple safeguard which is afforded or hisengine will continue to run and his lights burn (1f at night) until heturns the key in the lock and cuts oil the fuel supply, ignition andlights.

Devices of this-type fail to afford absolute protection for the reasonthat they can be tampered with and renderedinoperative in whole orilrpart.

For these reasons it IS des1rable to have a locking device soconstructed and arranged that none of the operating parts is accessiblewhile the device is in locked condition.

An -important object of the present invention is to provide a lockingdevice which positively prevents the unauthorized opera tion of theautomobile on which it is installed and which includes means forentirely cutting otf the supply of gasoline to the engine and renderingthe ignition system inoperative. In addition, the device preventsunauthorized manipulation of, or tampering with, the lights of the carand makesit impossible to light the headlights when the device is inoperative position,

this'being accomplished without interfering with the parking lightcircuit.

The shuttingoff of the gasoline and the breaking of the ignition: andlighting circuits are effected by a single device, which is unitary andcompact and may be readily substituted for the usual lighting andignition switch. A single operation of the device efiects these threemeasures.

Our device is designed and arranged as an interlocking unit in that nopart of the structure can be tampered with and still permit the;car tobe driven under its own power. All of the elements which hold the partsof the devicetoge'ther are protected in that they are within the body'ofthe device and cannot be reached unless the lock is operated by theproper key.

When the device is utilized it not only absolutely prevents theoperation of the motor but also may result in a considerable saving ofthe batteries, since it prevents children and. other unauthorizedpersons from turning on theheadlights and thus runningdown thebatteries, in the absence of the ownerot the car. i V

Thesecurity thus afforded by the device against theft of thecar,andinjury to its batteriesiismade certain andythe parts oi the deviceprotected by means ofa housing which completely encloses the vital partsof the device and is so arranged and constructed as to present noopportunity for unauthorized access thereto. A single locking meanscontrollable by a single key serves to positively hold and lock the'gas, ignition and lighting control device in operative or cut-oftposition. and also to lock the protective housing tightly and securelyto the rear of the instrument board in such a Way as to render the partsoi": the'device inaccessible even with the aid of tools to any one otherthan the owner, or the person having the key to the device.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear inthefollowing specification, reference being ha d to the accompanyingdrawings, in'which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the wiring system used inconnection with the locking device;

Figure 2 is a front View showing the locking means applied to theinstrument board of an automobile;

Figure 3 is a top View of the lock casing as mounted on the instrumentboard of an automobile;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional View partly broken away, on the line 55 ofFigure 4;

Figure 6 is a view similar toFigure 5 showing the position of theoperating members at a different step of the operation of the device;Figure 7 is a cross sectional view on the line 77 of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is an elevational view of the operating cam disk of the device;

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the operating cam disk;

Figure 10 is a view partly in cross section and partly in side elevationof the device connected to the gasoline supply pipe of the automobile;

Figure 11 is a cross sectional View of the lock casing with themechanism therein partly in top elevation, and partly in sectional view;and

Figure 12 is a view taken on the line 12--12 of Figure 10 with onecorner of the valve casing in the supply pipe broken away.

In the drawings, where similar reference numerals indicate like partsthroughout the views, the numeral indicates a metal casing fixed to theinstrument board 21 of an automobile by screws or other fastening means22. The front of the casing 20 is closed by a metal dial 23 similar tothe usual ignition and lighting system dial and provided with lightingswitch levers 24 and 25 and a pivoted handle 26, the latter for apurpose hereinafter set forth. A key hole 27 is centrally located uponthe dial 23.

The lock casing is flanged, as at 28, about its exterior directly behindthe instrument board 21. The metal dial is provided with an upstandinglug 116 which fits into a recess 117 in the instrument board 21 to prevent the rotation of the dial. A backwardly extending portion 29 is alsoincluded in the dial structure and is fitted in the front end of thelock casing 20 and it carries two metal plates 30, 31 and three fibreplates 32, 33 and 33, respectively. The metal plates 30 and 31 are heldagainst the dial 23 by countersunk screws 115 extending through theplates 30 and 31 and into the backwardly extending portion 29 of thedial 23. The fibre plates v32, 33 and 33 are held together and with themetal plates by rivets or bolts or any suitable fastening about theiredges. These superimposed plates are generically indicated by thenumeral 37.

A sliding bar 38 extends through aligned openings 39 is the series ofplates 37. Bar 38 has the pivoted handle 26 attached to its forward andprojecting end and is connected to a relatively short rod 40 at its rearor inner end 41 by any suitable detachable connection 42. The relativelyshort rod 41 is slidable in the end of a tube or pipe 43 which is fixedin the closed rear wall 44 of the casing 20 by a screw-threadedconnection 45 and lock nuts 46 or any other substantial theft-proofconnection.

As shown in Figure 10 the tube 43 is con nected at its other end to afitting indicated by the numeral 47 which may include an elbow 48. Avalve casing 49 at some point in the fuel supply pipe 50, preferablyimmediately above the carburetor 51 carries the fitting 47. A cable orBowden wire 52 is fixed to the inner end of the relatively short rod 41and extends through the tube 43 and fitting 47 and is swivel-jointed asat 58 to a rod 53 carried by the valve 54 in the valve casing 49. Itwill be noted that a roller 55 may be provided in an elbow 48 which maybe included in the line of tubing and that a coil spring 56 within thefitting 47 bears against a flange 57 on the rod 53 to hold the valve 54closed and the gasoline supply cut off when the sliding bar 38 is inretracted position.

As shown in Figures 4 and 11 the series of plates 37 are provided withcircumferentially spaced recesses 59 which extend from the rear fibreplate 33 to and through the metal plate 30. The latter plate hassomewhat wider recesses than the rear plates as shown at 60 and theserecesses 60 are so aligned with the'recesses 59 that the effect is tohave the series of plates 37 provided with circumferentiall y spacedbayonet slots 114 which fit over inwardly extending and circumfenentially spaced lugs 6.1 on the interior of the front end of the lockcasing 20. Thus, in assembling, the series of plates 37 can be fittedinto the front end of the casing 20 as the recesses 59 will align withthe lugs 61 and then the limit of inward movement has been reached bythe abutment of plate 29 against the lugs, a slight turn will move thelugs 61 into the offset portion 60 of the bayonet slots 114.

As stated, the keyhole chamber 34 extends through the dial 23 and plates30 and 31. It is locked in this position by a nut between the plates andat its inner end, and rotatable thereon when the proper key is insertedand turned in the tumbler or key hole chamber 34, is an irregz ularlyoutlined disk 62 having shoulders 63 and 64- upon its periphery. A.substantially rightangle-shaped latch (35 is pivoted to the plate 30 at66 and is normally held downwardly to bear against the sliding bar 38 bya coil spring 67 in a slot 68 in plate 30 and Inn ill]

lll'i arr/0,7 97

acting; against a pin 69 carried on the free end of the latch 65. Thefree end of the latch (this hook-shaped as at 71 and is adapted to bethereby engaged by the shoulder 63 on the cam disk. 62 when the key isturned to move the disk in acountercloclnvise direction as in Figures 5and 6. The result of this action will be to raise the latch from itsengagement in the forward recess 72 in the sliding bar 38. When thisoccurs the bar 38 may be pulled forward from retracted position by itspivoted handle 26 and will act through the wire 52 to move the valve 54in the gasoline pipe 50 to open thelatter.

A continued pull. on the handle 26 will bring a rear recess 73 in bar 38into alignment with the latch 65 and the latter will be moved intorecess 73 by action of spring 67. The valve 54 will then. be locked inopen position. When the key has been rotated inthe lock chamber 34 tobewithdrawn from, the chamber, it will place the dial: 62 insuch aposition that the shoulder 64 will be directly above the arm of thelatch at a point over the bar 38 as shown in Figure ti, and any attemptto force the latch upward will be forestalleil.

Control of the electric circuits of the automobile through our device isafforded by a contact member 74 carried by, and insulated from, thesliding bar 38; The positionof this contact on the bar 38 is such-thatwhen thelatter is in its outermostposition, that is, when the latch 65is inthe rear recess 7 3, the contact 74- will bridge the contact clips7 and 80 carried on the innermost fibre plate 23 at either side of thebill As has been stated, switch levers 24 and 25 are provided on thedial plate and control the side and cowl lighting circuits and theheadlight circuits, respectively. These levers are carried by rotatableshafts 35 and 36 respectively which extend through the metal plates 23,29, 30 and 31 and the fibre plate 32. Fibre plate has its center portioncut away to accommodate the movement of switch arms 84 and 85 carried bythe shafts 35 and 36 and controlled by the switch levers 24 and 25,respectively.

Referring to Fi 'ures 4 and17- it will be seen that a plurality ofcontact blocks are imbedded in the fibre plate 32. One Gl'lil of each ofthe contact blocks 1, 2, 3 and 4 is in the path of movement of one ofthe switch arms 84 or 85 and the other ends of the blocks carry bindingposts 83 which extend through the plates 33 and 33. A metal block 7 isalso embedded in the fibre plate 32and. carries a spring arm 86 whichextends intoicut-out portions of the fibreplate 32 and has its outerends upturned and arranged in the path of movement of fibre cams 87carried by the switch shafts 35' and 36 in front of the switch arms 84and 85. Springs 5 and (l are located at either end of the spring arm 86as shown in ure 7 butare normally out of contact engagement therewith.Binding posts 83, as described are provided for each of the springs 5and 6 and also for the block 7 carrying the spring arm 86.

Binding posts 8 and 9 are placed on either side of contact clips andcarried on the innermost fibre plate 33. Binding post 8 is in circuitwith the battery 7 9 through lead 78 and post 9 is connected to theignition system 77, and the head and dim lights by lead 76, as shown inFigure 1. In order to supply the switch arm84 with current a connectionis made from binding post 8 to the insulated binding post 10 by a leadSti andfromthis post a connection (not shown) is made to theshaft 35 ofthe switch arm 84. These connections are insulated and lie between thefibre plates 32 and Independence of the parking or sidelight circuitcontrolled by switch arm 84 is obtained by surrounding shaft 35, whichcarries arm 84, with an insulating bushing so that the metal. body orground of the device will not be in circuit with this switch arm.

The circuits shown in lligure l are so connected that the tail light isal ays operated with the headlights, dim headlights and sidelights andso arranged that the circuits can not be crossed or interfered with andtheir opera ion is as follows:

lVhenswitch lever 25 is moved to the position of Head, switch arm is incontact with the. contact block 1. The fibre .am 87 underneath theswitch arm 85 will depress the adjacent end of spring arm 8%; carried byblock 7 and cause it to mat: a contact with'the spring 5 to which thetail light is wired as shown and the headlights and tail light will nowburn. When the switch lever 25 is moved to the position of Dim theswitch arm 85 is in contact with contact block which is wired to the dimlight circuit and as cam 87 will still hold spring arnr 86 againstspring 5 the dim lights and tail light will burn. A return of switchlever 25 to Off position will extinguish alli lightscontrolled by leverIt will be seen that the lights controlled by switch lever 25 will notburn unless contact 74 carried by the sliding bar 38 is in contact withthe clips 75 and 80.

Ill)

- crank 106 pivoted to the plate 80 at 107.

"lower arm of bellcrank 106.

tery. Thus the headlight circuit may be locked in Off position withoutaffecting the parking and side light circuits.

The electric wires for the various circuits are brought to their bindingposts in the casing 20 by an armored cable 99 which passes through therear wall 4 1 of the casing at 100.

Locking means to prevent the removal of the series of plates 37 from thecasing 20 are provided in a belt 101 movable in a radial slot 102 in theplate 30. The slot 102 opens into one of the circumferentially spacedrecesses and is aligned with the series of narrower recesses 59 as shownin Figure 11. The position of the bolt as regards the bayonet slot 114is therefore such that it must first be depressed before the casing 20may be turned to align the lugs 61 with the recesses 59 to withdraw thecasing from about the plates 37. A coil spring 103 is positioned in theslot 102 behind bolt 101 and normally holds the latter in outwardposition to hold the casing against rotation.

The bolt 101 carries an upstanding pin 104: on the rear surface thereofand this pin moves in a slot 105 in one end 112 a begin the oppositeside of the bolt 101 is a lever 108 pivoted to plate 30 at 109. The freeend of lever 108 is normally held against the disk 62 by a coil spring110 in a recess in plate 30 which acts on a pin carried by the lever.The opposite end of lever 108 is provided with beveled cam 111 which isnormally positioned below the slotted end 112 of the bellcrank 106. Thispositively prevents any inward movement of bolt 101 by the insertion ofa tool in the bayonet slot 11 1-.

The belt 101 may only be retracted by a ireeapiarter clockwise rotation,as regards Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, of the disk 62 by the properkey. The result of this retation of disk 62 will first be to move theshoulder 64 carried thereby under the lever 108 to raise the latter, andcontinued movement will carry shoulder 641 to strike the At the sametime the shoulder 63 will move under lever 108 and will raise the latterto swing the cam 111 from beneath the slottedend 112 of bellcranl: 106.The shoulder 6-1 will then be free to swing the bellcrank 106 to moveits slotted end 112 and, through this, the belt 101, inwardly. The boltbeing retracted and the screws 22 removed the casing 20 may be rotatedand withdrawn from about the plates 37 to permit inspection or repair ofthe wiring. lVhen the latch is raised and handle 26 removed from thesliding bar 38 the series of plates 37 may be removed. 1t will be seenthat the return movement, counterclockwise from the position shown inFigure 5 of the disk 62, will not be pre vented by the lever 108 as theshoulder 6 1 is beveled on the proper side to raise the lever andreadily pass under it.

It will be understood that the metal plate 31 is recessed as at 113 toaccommodate the lever, latch and bellcrank carried on the plate 30.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a positive lockingdevice is provided which will control the ignition system, the gasolinesupply and the lighting circuits. A summary of the method of operationis as follows: hen the owner is in the car and driving it he will havethe sliding bar 38 in its outermost position and it will be held thereby the presence of latch 65 in the rear recess 73. The contact 74; willthen bridge the contact clips 75 and 80 and the ignition system 77 willbe in circuit with the battery. The headlight circuit will also berendered operative by the same operation. The gasoline supply valve 51-will be open and the engine may therefore be operated.

hen, however, the owner leaves the car he may place the car in anabsolutely inoperative condition by turning the key in the lock chamberto raise the latch 3h from the rear recess 73. The spring 56 in thefitting 47 which acts on the flange 57 of the valve rod 53 willin'imediately draw the sliding bar 38 to retracted position and thelatch will drop into recess 72 and the key may be withdrawn. Thegasoline supply valve 54: will thus be closed and the contact 7 1 willbe separated from the contact clips 75 and 80. The result of this latteraction will be to break the circuit between the battery 79 and theignition system "I? and to also break the headlight circuit but will noiinterfere with the parking light circuit as heretotore explained.However, the mrking light circuit will be closed as far as our device isconcerned for the leads therefrom connected across binding post 82 tothe hattery will not be interfered with.

The indicator dial 23 bearing upon the forward side of the instrumentboard 21 and the flange 28 of the casing 20 hearing against the rearside thereof will prevent ac cess being had to the interior of thecasing by its being removed from the instrument board. And the bolt. 101in the bayonet slot 114 will prevent the rotation of the plates toremove them from the casing, and as before stated, the latch 65 and belt101 are both held against displacement when the key is out of the lockby positive camming action. Nevertheless the plates 87 may always bereadily removed and the casing 20 moved "from the instrument board bythe owner of i the car-so that repairs may be made by close and noexplosive mixture can enter the cylinders. 4

w Electrical equipment and battery manufacti'i'rers claim that mosttrouble with their equipment o'nautomobiles is due to people'l'houghtlessly leavil'ig the ignition or lighting switches in circuitor their being turned on by unauthorzed parties. This difliculty isentirely overcome by this device. The only circuits that can be operatedwith our delvic'e locked are the cowl light or the side flights withtail light in circuit. As these lights use a very small amount ofcurrent the battery could not be depleted.

It will be seen that a compact structure in which every element issafeguarded against surreptitious tampering is here provided. All of thecontrols necessary to operate the car are rendered inoperative and thedevice is so arranged that they will be positively held inoperative. Thetube 43 which carries the wire or cable attached to the fuel supplyvalve 54 cannot be unscrewed unless the housing is unlocked and slippeddown to a point where clearance can be obtained for the lugs attached tothe lock nut 46 which is attached to the end of the tube inside of thehousing. The lock bolts on the slide rod and housing cannot be movedunless the proper key is inserted and they are rotated to the unlockedposi tion. Any effort to tamper with or disable the device musttherefore necessarily result in putting the car inv an inoperablecondition.

What we claim. is:

1. In a locking device for automobiles, the combination of a fuel supplyconduit, a control valve therefor, a casing enclosing raid valve, anignition circuit, a lighting circuit, a. lock casing carried by thedash, 1: control device operable from the dash to :uctuate the fuelsupply valve, contacts car- :ried by said control device within the locki-asing for making or breaking the ignition and lighting circuits whenthe fuel supply .valve is opened or closed, respectively, and a lockingdevice co itprising selectively operable lock mem'bers adapted to locksaid control or lock the casing to the dash.

2. In a docking device for automobiles, a 106k se n a ver 9 easinperatingmeans within saidcasing for controlling the fuel supply andelectrical circuits, lockii'jg means for normally locking said ope'atingmeans, locking means for looking said cover to said casing, and controlmeans for operating either of said locking means independently of theother.

In "a locking device for automobiles, a lock casing, a cover for saidcasing, a bar slidable within said casing, said bar being adapted tocontrol the fuel supply and electrical circuits, a bolt normally inlooking engagement with said bar, a bolt adapted to lock said cover tosaid casing, means for moving said first-named bolt from engagement withsaid bar, or for moving said sec-- ond-named bolt from engagement withsaid casing.

4. In a locking device for automobiles, a lock casing, a cover for saidcasing, a bar slidable within said casing, said bar being adapted tocontrol the fuel supply and electrical circuits, a bolt normally inlocking engagement with said bar, a bolt adapted to lock said coverplate to said casing, a rotatable lock spindle to move said firstnamedbolt from engagement with said slidable bar when rotated in onedirection and to move said second-named bolt from engagement with saidcasing when rotated in the opposite direction.

5. In a locking device for automobiles, a lock casing, a cover for saidcasing, a bar slidable within said casing, said bar being adapted tocontrol the fuel supply, a bolt normally in looking engagement with saidbar, a bolt adapted to lock said cover to said casing, means in the pathof retractive movement of said bolt to hold it against unauthorizedrelease, means for moving said first-named bolt from engagement withsaid bar, or for moving said means from the path of movement of saidsecond-named bolt and retracting said bolt.

6. The combination with a locking device for automobiles, including alock casing and a cover for said casing, of means to lock said casingcover comprising a bolt, a rotatable lock spindle, an operatingcamcarrled thereby and adapted to operate said bolt and means in the pathof retracting movement of said bolt to hold it against unauthorizedrelease, said means being moved from the path of movement of said boltby movement of said operating cam.

7. The combination with a locking device for automobiles, including alock casing, a cover for said casing and a bar slidable in said casing,said bar being adapted to control the fuel supply and electricalcircuits of the automobile, of means to lock said casing cover and saidbar comprising a rotatable lock spindle, an operating cam carriedthereby, a pivoted bolt normally held in l c i s gagement w s id ba andhaving itsfree end arranged in the path of movement of said operatingcam, whereby it may be released from engagement with said bar, a slidingbolt adapted to lock said casing cover, a bolt operating bell-crank, onearm of said bell-crank operatively engaging said bolt and the other armbeing arranged in the path of movement of said operating cam whereby thebolt will be operated, a second bell-crank having one arm arranged inthe path movement of said boltoperating bell-crank, whereby said slidingbolt will be positively held in looking position and the other arm ofsaid bell crank being arranged in the path of movement of said cam,whereby said bell-crank may be moved from the path of movement of saidbolt-operating bell-crank.

J. CLARENCE THOMAS.

CHARLES C. STAITI.

